The Brass Junkies Podcast - Pedal Note Media

The Brass Junkies, hosted by former Boston Brass members Andrew Hitz and Lance LaDuke, features interviews with the best and brightest brass players in the world. Subject matter includes everything from the serious to the ridiculous, just like the music business.

TBJ88: St. Louis Symphony trumpeter Jeff Strong on preparation, playing with the Marine Band and having an air blowing epiphany.

Jeffrey Strong of the St. Louis Symphony and formerly of the “President’s Own” US Marine Band, joined Andrew & Lance to detail his current gig, playing Taps in inclement weather and what he learned from Chris Martin.

In this fun and lively conversation, we cover:

Blitzstein opera, Regina

Finishing 3rd season with the SLSO

Played in The President’s Own Marine Band

Ficus tree story

Played in the Civic Orchestra while studying at Northwestern

Playing with Mike Martin and Thomas Siders

Other rockstars in the Northwestern trumpet studio while he was there

Festive Overture

Playing under Mallory Thompson

What it’s like to play Taps at Arlington Ceremony

Getting punched in the gut by The Bathroom Fairy

Playing ceremonies in various weather conditions

Preparing for high pressure situations

Jimmy Doolittle funeral

Preparing for the St. Louis Symphony audition

Chris Martin preparation style as a model

Being methodical, considering as many variables as possible

Mark Lawrence, “If its hard to do, you’re probably doing it wrong.”

Working on jazz as a young player

Being a musical chameleon/matching sound

The importance of being analytical

Air blowing epiphany

Keeping notes/journaling to help keep track of progress and problems

Problem is usually related to how something feels vs. how something sounds

Playing with (and sleeping on the floor of) Achilles Liarmakopoulos of the Canadian Brass

AndyBalio, Principal Trumpet of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra join Andrew &Lancein a fascinating and far reaching conversation. From his time with some of the greatest orchestra on the planet to the four years he spent at an ashram, Andy's story is endlessly fascinating. We also cover his role at the Future Symphony Institute and talk about many of the issues facing professional orchestras today. Oh, and there are sheep. Like, a lot of sheep.

Matt Vaughn, Co-Principal Trombone
with the Philadelphia Orchestra sits down with Andrew & Lance
in a fun and wide-ranging conversation. Matt talks not only about
his highly successful career, but about what it is like being a
twin, what he listens for in auditions and what it was like to take
on the role of Mother Teresa in Air Force Basic
Training.

Oh, and he once played a gig at
Cedar Point with his pants down. Allegedly.

Chad Winkler, fourth/utility trumpet with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra joins Andrew & Lance in person in front of an audience at Duquesne University.

From an early start as an award-winning pianist, to studies with his father, Chad explains what it took to win the gig of his dreams. Chad explains what it was like to study with his father at West Virginia University and (of course) gets into a lively hockey debate with Andrew. The term “puck the face” may or may not have been used repeatedly. You have been warned.

Chris Castellanos, horn player from Boston Brass joins Andrew & Lance from Flower Mound, Texas, and explains that he (unlike Andrew & Lance) is not a quitter! From growing up in Las Vegas, to playing in the pit of “Phantom” well over 1,000 times and witnessing a flying trombone, Chris unpacks his versatile career.

He also details his time in three of the most popular brass quintets on the scene today, Boston Brass, Dallas Brass and (most importantly) the Orange Chicken Quintet.

Brass legend Dan Perantoni, Provost Professor of Tuba at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, joins Andrew & Lance to discuss how he initially dreamed of being a jazz pianist. Thankfully for all of us, he ended up participating in nearly every important milestone in the development of nearly every important milestone in tuba-dom in the last 50 years. Dan shares stories about Harvey Phillips, Rich Matteson, Don Knaub and the St. Louis Brass Quintet. He explains how he got into Eastman on sousaphone, details his approach to playing and teaching and how he makes meatballs by the hundred and tomato sauce by the gallon.

JD Shaw, Associate Professor of Horn at the University of South Carolina and former colleague (inmate) of Andrew & Lance in Boston Brass, becomes the first repeat guest. In March and April of 2016, JD, Andrew, Lance and pianist/composer/moonbat David Cutler will be joining forces for a series of concerts under the name "Cones and Tones." JD explains the genesis of the group, talks about the upcoming program and what it is like to write for the group.

Additionally, he talks about how the market for chamber music is changing, lists his favorite chamber groups and shares his take on the state of music training at the college level. There may or may not also be references to some infamous Boston Brass incidents.

Colin Williams, newly tenured Associate Principal Trombone with the New York Philharmonic joins Andrew & Lance in a very frank and honest discussion about recovering from chop injury. Colin also sets Andrew's heart aflame, describing his experience playing w/Trey Anastasio from Phish, talks about what it is like working w/Joe Alessi (spoiler alert, it's pretty good), and his thoughts on what makes for effective orchestral management.